Any advice on the 14-day Antarctica cruise on Infinity?

[susiej4]

I have a cabin question for anyone.....

 

We are currently booked in an OV cabin in the front of the ship. Not worried about seasickness. Is there a reason to book a balcony rather than an OV? I know it's going to be cold and, for those of you who booked balconies, do you foresee your spending time out there or spending the majority of the time at the front of the ship outside or inside the lounge looking out? I am considering changing to a balcony but the price is quite a bit more.

 

Thanks..

[2552phxcrzr]

I have a cabin question for anyone.....

 

We are currently booked in an OV cabin in the front of the ship. Not worried about seasickness. Is there a reason to book a balcony rather than an OV? I know it's going to be cold and, for those of you who booked balconies, do you foresee your spending time out there or spending the majority of the time at the front of the ship outside or inside the lounge looking out? I am considering changing to a balcony but the price is quite a bit more.

 

Thanks..

 

I would ... but I'm one that spends all my time on the balcony. In cold weather, I just bundle up and sit outside. Windproof layers are essential in Antarctica and do wonders to ensure you are able to be outdoors ... balcony or elsewhere on the ship. I balance my balcony time with wanderings around the decks to see what's on either side, ahead and aft of the ship.

[LuAnn]

I have a cabin question for anyone.....

 

We are currently booked in an OV cabin in the front of the ship. Not worried about seasickness. Is there a reason to book a balcony rather than an OV? I know it's going to be cold and, for those of you who booked balconies, do you foresee your spending time out there or spending the majority of the time at the front of the ship outside or inside the lounge looking out? I am considering changing to a balcony but the price is quite a bit more.

 

Thanks..

 

 

Always...no matter where we are sailing!!! 1) for me...fresh air..I live in So Cal...and I get that every day...and I can't imagine not having that chance for the fresh air...2) Open the door..whenever you want...and see what is out there!!! 3) Yes...it will be cold...but it will be cold everywhere on the ship...even inside as I mentioned in a previous post...4) I have stood on a balcony in Alaska...with other friends on balconies...and witnessed amazing things...and we could look at each other and say WOW!!!! To me...if I don't/can't book a balcony...I don't go...but that is just me...Others have a wonderful time in an OV or an Inside...that is just my "take"...if I didn't have a balcony...I wouldn't go....AGAIN...that is just me and my 2 cents worth!! I know it costs more...you, and only you, can make that decision on what those $$ are worth...have a wonderful time...in an amazing part of the world..not matter what cabin you choose!!! LuAnn

[Doctor G]

I think the balcony is the best option. I enjoyed being able to be on the balcony for awhile and then back into the cabin to warm up, then out again. You also want to go outside on upper decks, but you are in the beautiful scenery for many hours so it is nice to be able to pop in and out of the cabin. My traveling companion was in an OV cabin, and she spent most of her time on my balcony.

 

Carolyn

[Doctor G]

three4rd, I'm am delighted that you decided to book the trip. I think you will never regret doing it. Take along Bonine (doesn't make you sleepy) and ginger in some form, and you probably will not experience seasickness. I was told that you could get Bonine from Guest Relations on the ship, but I did not check this out. As LouAnn has said, very trip is different so I would go again in a minute.

 

Carolyn

[2552phxcrzr]

three4rd, I'm am delighted that you decided to book the trip. I think you will never regret doing it. Take along Bonine (doesn't make you sleepy) and ginger in some form, and you probably will not experience seasickness. I was told that you could get Bonine from Guest Relations on the ship, but I did not check this out. As LouAnn has said, very trip is different so I would go again in a minute.

 

Carolyn

 

On the South America Cruise Bonine (or some form of it) was available from the clinic ... free; help-yourself-box of it just inside the entrance.

[OnTheJourney]

LuAnn, how is the ride to the Patrick watts excursion? (I get car sick too. We did an excursion in the islands where the guy drove like crazy around these hairpin turns and I really started to feel lousy). I agree with you. If I could not get a balcony room on a cruise I'd rather stay home. Thanks agIn for your encouraging words. Same to others here who encouraged me. Isn't it really a bit early to book an excursion for a 2017 cruise ?!?

[OnTheJourney]

The X agent I talked to seemed to indicate that the ship motion is typically not that bad. Is that true? He said because it is summer (when else would you go anyway?). Perhaps he was just trying to console me so I would not be inclined to cancel the trip. I actually have moments when I think that maybe I made the wrong decision when I hear things like they offer free Bonine !! I may be totally over my head with attempting this trip. Lots of time to change my mind.

[MicCanberra]

Great to hear you will do this cruise, it is awesome, of course I cannot guarantee penguin sightings but we saw lots at Ushuaia - mantilla Island, the Falkland Islands - Volunteer point and also in Antarctica as well, the seas were teeming with them and they swam under the ship to pop up on the other side near deception Island.

 

My advice is bring spare camera batteries, the cold really shortens the life and they need recharging a lot. Dress in layers and have gloves, beanies, etc as you will need it for any time spent out on deck. Get onto some of the private tours like Patricks on the falklands', and Sebastian in Ushuaia.:D

[ghstudio]

The X agent I talked to seemed to indicate that the ship motion is typically not that bad. Is that true? He said because it is summer (when else would you go anyway?). Perhaps he was just trying to console me so I would not be inclined to cancel the trip. I actually have moments when I think that maybe I made the wrong decision when I hear things like they offer free Bonine !! I may be totally over my head with attempting this trip. Lots of time to change my mind.

 

They always have free sea sick medication at guest services...on any cruise...it's not unique to the Antarctic cruises. As far as the motion, the agent has absolutely no basis for their statement....the seas in that part of the world can be very rough or smooth at any time during the year. Typical means absolutely nothing....and the weather and seas can change in just a few hours. No one knows how the weather will be on your cruise...or if they will change the itinerary on the fly to try to avoid bad weather as they did on our cruise.

 

Now here's an unfortunate reality....if you get on a ship thinking about and worrying about getting seasick, you will get seasick, irrespective of the movement of the ship...you may even get seasick while the ship is sitting in port. Many of the "folk" remedies control seasickness by making the individual think they are taking or doing something powerful that will help...so they stop worrying. If you believe a copper band around your wrist will stop you from getting seasick, you'll probably not get seasick. Is that band doing anything....or is it just that you aren't focused every minute on...am I getting seasick, is my stomach queasy and so on.

 

My advice....stop worrying...start taking the pills that actually do work a day before the cruise and just keep taking them until you either stop worrying or the cruise ends......and then enjoy the cruise.

[MicCanberra]

They always have free sea sick medication at guest services...on any cruise...it's not unique to the Antarctic cruises. As far as the motion, the agent has absolutely no basis for their statement....the seas in that part of the world can be very rough or smooth at any time during the year. Typical means absolutely nothing....and the weather and seas can change in just a few hours. No one knows how the weather will be on your cruise...or if they will change the itinerary on the fly to try to avoid bad weather as they did on our cruise.

 

Now here's an unfortunate reality....if you get on a ship thinking about and worrying about getting seasick, you will get seasick, irrespective of the movement of the ship...you may even get seasick while the ship is sitting in port. Many of the "folk" remedies control seasickness by making the individual think they are taking or doing something powerful that will help...so they stop worrying. If you believe a copper band around your wrist will stop you from getting seasick, you'll probably not get seasick. Is that band doing anything....or is it just that you aren't focused every minute on...am I getting seasick, is my stomach queasy and so on.

 

My advice....stop worrying...start taking the pills that actually do work a day before the cruise and just keep taking them until you either stop worrying or the cruise ends......and then enjoy the cruise.

 

Great advice, a friend swears by seabands and has candied ginger.:D

[susiej4]

Thanks for the input regarding the cabin. We are going to move to a balcony. I've already contacted Patrick on the Falklands and arranged for his tour also. Penguins!

[grayjay]

LuAnn, how is the ride to the Patrick watts excursion? (I get car sick too. We did an excursion in the islands where the guy drove like crazy around these hairpin turns and I really started to feel lousy). I agree with you. If I could not get a balcony room on a cruise I'd rather stay home. Thanks agIn for your encouraging words. Same to others here who encouraged me. Isn't it really a bit early to book an excursion for a 2017 cruise ?!?

 

You definitely should book your penguin excursion on the Falklands as early as possible. P. Watts is the biggest operator, but there are several others like Estancia Excursions etc. that offer exactly the same thing. The official Falkland site falklandislands.com is very helpful and offers lots of information. The trips sell out early, as the numbers of landrovers and the permits for Volunteer Point ( that's where the penguins are) are limited and some operators work exclusively for the ship's excursion office. You don't run any risk if your ship shouldn't be able to go to the Islands, you pay for your private tour on arrival . The only thing you must be aware of is that the trip takes several hours on unpaved roads and across open country. There's no risk even for a faint-hearted person like me, but you shouldn't have severe back problems or slipped discs etc.

I would advise to take a look at the South America Section of Cruise Critic ( very helpful regarding info) and subscribe in the roll call for your cruise.

And then - enjoy your time in South America and Antarctica!

[Doctor G]

LuAnn, how is the ride to the Patrick watts excursion? (I get car sick too. We did an excursion in the islands where the guy drove like crazy around these hairpin turns and I really started to feel lousy). I agree with you. If I could not get a balcony room on a cruise I'd rather stay home. Thanks agIn for your encouraging words. Same to others here who encouraged me. Isn't it really a bit early to book an excursion for a 2017 cruise ?!?

 

I don't think it is possible to actually describe the drive on the excursion to Volunteer Point :eek: You will definitely not be driving like crazy--the average speed is probably about 5-10 MPH. One of the reasons that it takes so long to get to the Point is that the vehicles must move so slowly. Most of the time is across the sheep farm lands which have ruts that seem as deep as the vehicle. Some ruts even have little bridges over them! Given all that, I would do it again in a minute. The experience of being up close and personal with so many penguins probably cannot be found anywhere else. I think the trip could be a problem for anyone that has vertebral disc problems.

 

Patrick Watts' tour seems to be the most popular and fills up very early, so I don't think it is too early to try to book it. One advantage of the amount of travel time is that you learn a lot about the Falklands from your driver (at least we did). We passed by fields where there were workers still removing land mines from the war with Argentina.

 

Best wishes for a great trip.

 

Carolyn

[MicCanberra]

I don't think it is possible to actually describe the drive on the excursion to Volunteer Point :eek: You will definitely not be driving like crazy--the average speed is probably about 5-10 MPH. One of the reasons that it takes so long to get to the Point is that the vehicles must move so slowly. Most of the time is across the sheep farm lands which have ruts that seem as deep as the vehicle. Some ruts even have little bridges over them! Given all that, I would do it again in a minute. The experience of being up close and personal with so many penguins probably cannot be found anywhere else. I think the trip could be a problem for anyone that has vertebral disc problems.

 

Patrick Watts' tour seems to be the most popular and fills up very early, so I don't think it is too early to try to book it. One advantage of the amount of travel time is that you learn a lot about the Falklands from your driver (at least we did). We passed by fields where there were workers still removing land mines from the war with Argentina.

 

Best wishes for a great trip.

 

Carolyn

 

The ride their and back is an adventure in itself.

 

Great fun but very bumpy.:D

[MicCanberra]

The tour company in Ushuaia that gets you onto Montilla Island is called Pira Tours, very god and they only allow 2 groups of 20 people per day but you get to walk among the penguins while everyone else has to stay on the boats and view from there.:D

[OnTheJourney]

Thanks for extra info. If I book with Pira is it really also necessary to do the Watts tour?

[2552phxcrzr]

This is what you can expect if you book Isla Martillo w/Pira Tour. Highly recommend it.

 

http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2015/01/postcards-from-ushuaia-isla-martillo.html

 

http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2015/05/ushuaia-ped-3-skeletons-penguins-and.html

 

http://2totravel.blogspot.com/2015/05/estancia-harberton-penguins-of-isla.html

 

I should point out that we did this tour in early January. What stage the chicks will be (i.e. fluffy, molting, etc.) will depend on when you will be visiting.

 

As for whether you should book a penguin tour in the Falklands ... it depends on how much you are into penguins. For me, it would be absolutely a must. You also see different species in the Falklands, although if you are lucky you will see a couple of Kings and Gentoos on Isla Martillo, but not in the numbers you would in the Falklands.

Edited August 17, 2015 by h2so4

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for extra info. If I book with Pira is it really also necessary to do the Watts tour?

 

No and Yes, depends on how much you want to see.

If you want to see penguins then no, if you want to see specific species of penguins then possibly.

Martilla island has thousands of Magellenic, hundreds of Gentoo, but there were only 5 Kings there (Feb 2014, they are hoping more will come each year to breed).

Volunteer point has large colonies of all three and you can get a lot more out of that trip.

The weather is a huge factor and you wouldn't want to just book one and find it cancelled due to weather. Falklands is notorious for the ship to not be able to tender due to weather conditions.

Edited August 17, 2015 by MicCanberra

[OnTheJourney]

I've been reading about the Watts tour. 2.5 hours (one way if my research is correct) over rough road with no bathroom breaks does not sound like something DW and I would really want to sign up for! I'm sure it's all very adventurous and all, but I think I'll opt for something a bit more tame.

 

MicCanberra...thanks so much for all the advice and links!! Pira sounds really interesting....is this also a tour that you'd recommend booking so far ahead of time? I've never heard of booking any excursion 18 months in advance.

Edited August 17, 2015 by three4rd

[MicCanberra]

I've been reading about the Watts tour. 2.5 hours (one way if my research is correct) over rough road with no bathroom breaks does not sound like something DW and I would really want to sign up for! I'm sure it's all very adventurous and all, but I think I'll opt for something a bit more tame.

 

MicCanberra...thanks so much for all the advice and links!! Pira sounds really interesting....is this also a tour that you'd recommend booking so far ahead of time? I've never heard of booking any excursion 18 months in advance.

 

Definitely, as mentioned they only take 40 people per day onto the island (2 groups of 20) so you have to get in early. We had booked nearly 2 years ahead.:D

[fatbaldbloke]

Haven't read the thread but we went there in 2013 on Infinity and the whole experience was awesome. We were blessed with calm seas and fantastic weather. For me it was the best holiday I've ever had.

[MicCanberra]

Haven't read the thread but we went there in 2013 on Infinity and the whole experience was awesome. We were blessed with calm seas and fantastic weather. For me it was the best holiday I've ever had.

 

We had smooth seas as well but we did dodge a weather front by going to Deception Island instead of Elephant Island. It worked out well as that was where we saw many whales Fin and Orca as well as the multitude of penguins swimming making the sea boil.:D

[susiej4]

I looked at the Pira tour but it leaves at 8 a.m. and we are not supposed to be in port until 9 :(

[OnTheJourney]

Susie...where did you see that the Pira starts at 8? I can't find any detailed info like that. Which tour were you looking at?

Edited August 17, 2015 by three4rd